UGA notebook: Jenkins adjusting to SEC

Georgia nose guard John Jenkins can envision a day when his position coach, Rodney Garner, will let up on him a little.

"The one day he'll stop getting to me verbally will be the day if I'm blessed enough to go to the (NFL) draft," Jenkins said.

This month the coveted transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College has just been trying to earn his spot on the field after being sidelined a couple of times.

He's learned first-hand that Garner the recruiter can be quite different from Garner the defensive line coach.

"I was up front with him," Garner said. "I told him there would be some tough days. Obviously, I coach them hard, but I do love them and I hope they know that and that I'm going to treat them fairly. I just want them to be as good as they can be and to reach their goals. Obviously, in that role sometimes you're not going to be that popular."

The 6-foot-3, 342-pound Jenkins didn't make it through his first practice because of the heat.

He later missed more than a week of practices with a hamstring injury.

Jenkins was expected to push 6-6, 350-pound Kwame Geathers this preseason for the starting spot, but never did.

However, Garner said Jenkins had his best two days of practice so far on Monday and Tuesday.

"He has shown flashes ... of what we thought we were getting," Garner said.

Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has plans for both Geathers and Jenkins on Saturday against Boise State.

"Those guys are all going to play," Grantham said. "It's important that you have big guys up front that can play and rotate and keep them fresh."

Jenkins' mother, brother and high school coach will drive down from his hometown in Connecticut to see Jenkins' Bulldog debut.

Jenkins still expects to be a factor on defense.

"Yes, why not?" Jenkins said.

Dress rehearsal times two

Georgia held a "dress rehearsal" practice for Boise State on Wednesday and will do so again today, this time in Sanford Stadium with crowd noise blaring from the speakers.

Tailback Richard Samuel, working back from a quadriceps injury, practiced fully, but the offense only did "a jog-through" with no passing, Richt said that was because offensive coordinator Mike Bobo wanted the skill players to rest.

"He looks fine; we don't want to do anything that would set him back," Richt said. "But I don't think we could have done anything today that would set him back. (Today) we're going to ask for more tempo from everybody and I'll have a better feel for him."

Smith on track to play

Cornerback Branden Smith, who injured a foot a week ago, returned to practice Wednesday and "did pretty well," Richt said.

"The defense went a faster tempo," Richt said. "Branden got all the reps. He got some punt returns at pre-practice."

Richt said he expects Smith to remain the top punt returner Saturday. The injury is to the bottom of the heel.

"There would have to be some major setback that shouldn't happen to keep him from being back there," Richt said.

Walsh zoned in on Dome

Kicker Blair Walsh, a top candidate for the Lou Groza Award, has shown consistency in most stadiums during his college career.

The senior hasn't kicked in a dome, though, since he played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in the Alamo Dome in San Antonio as a high school senior.

It wasn't a game to remember.

He missed an extra point and a field goal.

"A little redemption this week," he said of playing in the Georgia Dome.

He got a chance to kick there last Friday when the team practiced in Atlanta.

"All of us were hitting it pretty well," he said. "The ball flies pretty good there."

This and that

Richt said that safety Bacarri Rambo has been preparing to play Saturday. "Oh, yeah," Richt said. "He's been getting all the reps." Rambo's status for Saturday's game remains uncertain after he lost his starting job and Richt has left open the possibility that a suspension may be looming. Richt said Rambo has not worked on the scout team. ... Third-string tailback Brandon Harton returned from a sprained ankle sustained last week. "A little stiff at first, but it loosened up as practice went on," he said. Harton is a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship earlier this preseason. ... Georgia's "Dawg Walk" before the Boise State game will be in Hall C of the World Congress Center at 5:40 p.m. ... An early bowl projection from SI.com's Stewart Mandel has Georgia playing Iowa in the Capital One Bowl.